Insta brand me: playing with notions of authenticity

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn recent times, a burgeoning body of literature on self-representation has emerged in response to the hypervisibility of young women online. Among the key concepts in this field is that of ‘authentic self-branding’ – the idea that disclosure of the real ‘inner’ self is a prerequisite for successful self-branding. This article draws on this concept and explores its applicability to young women’s self-representation on Instagram. On the one hand, I argue that this concept is a useful tool for explaining how popularity can be acquired on the multiple platforms offered by Instagram. On the other hand, I contend that this cannot fully account for the way in which these producers are playing with notions of authenticity ‘behind-the-scenes’ to manipulate their followers into believing their self-representation is authentic. To evidence this, I draw from interviews with three young women in Sydney about their self-representational practices on their personal Instagram accounts. I propose that such findings call for research that extends beyond notions of authentic or inauthentic self-branding and instead considers how young women are consciously harnessing such ideas to promote a desired self-representation on Instagram.